Selling a Home With a Pool? What You Need to Know

Swimming pools can be a real joy. If you’ve got a young family they offer hours and hours of fun. The downside is that come sale time, too many home owners mistakenly believe that their swimming pool is a reason to set a higher asking price or will lure potential buyers in like moths to a flame.

No doubt about it, selling a home with a swimming pool can be a tricky job. The truth is swimming pools aren’t for everyone. Some home buyers love’em, but plenty hate ‘em.

So, if your ‘for sale’ property has a swimming pool, here’s the 5 most common  selling myths  - busted.

1. A pool will had value. I’m afraid that, as a rule, they don’t.  When putting in a pool, you should be aiming to spend around 10%- 15% of your home’s value. But that doesn’t mean that your home will be worth 10%-15% more at the end of it. The best reason to put a pool in is because you want one and will use it, not because you want to add value to your property. There’s an old rule of thumb for home buyers wanting a pool for the kids – buy a house with a pool. The reason? Well, first of all the hard work is done, but mostly it’s because the pool is almost considered a free gift.

2. A pool will make my property more saleable. Yes and no. If you were to take a satellite shot of your neighbourhood that showed a lot of little blue dots all over, then yes, a pool may be a very saleable asset. But the one thing you can’t get away from when it comes to pools is the maintenance. Maintenance means time and money and there are plenty of people looking to buy a new home with not a lot of either to spare. Word of warning; Sacrificing valuable yard space in an already small backyard, is a definite negative.

3. Upkeep isn’t important if I’m selling during the cooler months. No matter what time of year you’re selling, if you have a swimming pool you MUST keep it looking sparkling clean all year round. Rain, hail or shine. Ignoring pool maintenance at any time when you’re selling will just let you and your property down.

4. Buyer’s love a spa. Spas are the #1 home improvement that home buyers DO NOT CARE FOR. The truth is, you’d be better off putting a (portable) spa into storage, and giving your home back the space to be used in more practical ways.

5. Pools just sell themselves. There are few things in the world that simply sell a themselves. For your home’s swimming pool to be a genuine asset you’ll need to treat it like any other room in your house. Keep it clean and well maintained, then add some style to give a real sense of lifestyle. That will rev up that all important buyer appeal at your place – inside and out.

Selling Your House – Be Clear on the Goal

Just like any good business operation you need a plan and to set some goals. And selling your house is no different. Because if you go into the whole selling process with your seller’s eyes wide open, you’ll be able to see very clearly where you’re going, and what it’s going to take to get you there.

Goal setting is important even when selling property

Time and time again home sellers fail to ask themselves; “What’s the number one thing I need to get from the sale of my property?”

You’ve probably got a few selling goals in mind even if you’ve never spoken about it out loud. For most of us the final sale price usually ranks right up there. As a property investor myself, I have 2 main goals. First for me is a good (albeit realistic) sale price. The second goal I set for myself is a speedy sale. After all, who wants to live in a show home for days, weeks, or even months on end?

Two of my favourite real estate experts, the US mother/daughter real estate team, Donna and Shannon Freeman, suggested this list of common home seller’s goals in their book ‘Seven Steps to Sold’ that I believe are completely relevant no matter where in the world you live;

1. Make the most money (I’m inclined to call this one ‘getting what you think it’s worth’)
2. Sell quickly
3. Time the sale (for a concurrent settlement)
4. A smooth real estate transaction
5. Finding the right buyer
6. Put the best product on the market 

In this first post in a series, we’ll look closer at goal #1.

Let’s start with a real life example of making price the #1 selling goal. There’s a home I know of just around the corner from my own, where the owners have based their selling strategy on making the most money. As someone who likes to keep a watchful eye on my local real estate market, I know that similar homes in the area are selling at a whopping $125,000 less than this property’s original asking price.

Is the final selling price all that matters?

Since that time, the home owners have been forced, not only to lower their price by $45,000, but they’ve also had to do what in the beginning, they didn’t want to do – put what they called the dreaded ‘for sale’ sign on the front lawn. A third marketing tactic has been added to the mix now too, the ‘open for inspection’.

It’s a classic mistake. Home owners who based their asking price on what they feel they deserve get, instead of what’s going on in the current market.

So what’s the real price paid for such a lofty, ‘must get top dollar’ ambition?

• Well, so far, 7 months have passed since the home was first listed on the market and along with that went the chance of a speedy sale. There still isn’t a lot of interest in the property, despite the big price adjustment. It this boils down to the fact that the last 7 months have been a complete waste of time for everyone concerned.
• The property has inherited a stigma. House hunters often ask how long a property has been on the market. When it’s been on for a long time, they naturally begin to wonder what’s wrong with it.
• The owners have had to carry all the holding costs associated with this home. Because the owners bought when the property market was more buoyant, the size of their mortgage is likely to reflect that. 
• They’ve had to put any future real estate plans on indefinite hold.
• These owners have been living in a ‘show home’ for seven, long months.
• But here’s another risk that these sellers haven’t considered. As Designed To Sell’s Donna Freeman says, you should be praying that the Beverly Hillbillies come down of the mountain ready to blindly offer you well above market value. That’s because, they’re about the only ones who will have enough cash on hand, to avoid having to take out a mortgage.

So what’s the problem with that you ask? Well, their lender is going to have their investment valued, and you can bet your house on the fact it will be lower than your contracted sale price. From there, it’s pretty much all downhill, and you’ll have to start the process all over again.

Moral of the story; think very hard about having price as your number one goal, you may end up paying a price you hadn’t budgeted for.

Trade Sercrets For A More Saleable Family Sized Home…In Just 1 Week.

Are you thinking about putting your family sized home on the market? Maybe, you’ve already done it and havne’t got the offers you’d hope for. With few excpetions, the Austlrain proeprty market is pretty tough going right now. Most sellers willl find themsleves in a buyers market and for the unprpepared…and dare I say naive, the whole selling process can be long and frustrating. But it doesn’t have to be. Home’s like yours sell every day even if the property market is less than stellar.

I’m a professional home stager/property stylist, and it’s my job to help homeowners like you to make the most of their home’s most saleable features. On top of that, it’s my job to spend as little money as possible and get a result in a really short time.

So, come with me now, and I’ll show you 20 ways to make your family sized home that much more appealing to the kind of buyer looking to call a place like yours – home.   

One of the first things you should do is consider who your buyer is likely to be. If you’re selling a family sized home, then it’s likely that that’s who you should target. A word of caution: if you’re selling because your place is just too small for family life, then it’s best not to target those same buyers when you sell.

Byt the way, now is the time to come to terms with the cold hard truth that it’s not actually about your family’s needs anymore.

1. Get and keep the place, clean and tidy even if it near kills you. It won’t ever fail you.

2. Make sure your place looks fantastic from the kerb. It needs to be the best (or one of) in your street. This is where your place makes that all important first impression, so don’t let it go to waste less house hunters just drive straight past without even slowing down.

3. Pack away most of the kids toys and sports gear. I know it’s a family home you’ve got there, but leaving the stuff around for buyers to see, just says “not enough” storage to them.

4. Make sure bedrooms look like bedrooms (they’re just too valuable not too). House hunters are notorious for not being able to see a bedroom as a bedroom, if that’s not what it looks like when they lay eyes on it for the first time.  

5. Make the most of your built in storage by keeping them mostly clear and tidy. Families need more storage, not less. I’m talking about built in wardrobes, kitchen cupboards, pantries, linen cupboards. When I bought my current family home, the walk-in linen cupboard was a major selling point for me, believe it or not. To this day I think of it as one of my home’s best and most saleable features.

6. Create a fabulous looking ‘master bedroom’ with the emphasis on a quiet, clutter-free parent retreat. The payer of the mortgage wants…needs, a place to escape to once in a while. So, sell that feature.

7. Kitchen appliances should not only work well, but look good. I remember the time I inspected a family home that didn’t have a working stove or oven. That meant an immediate deduction off the home’s asking price because in a family home, it’s an essential to daily family life

8. De-clutter your kitchen counter tops. Work space is also very valuable. Keep those small appliances to a minimum – no more than two. Even less, if bench top space is at a premium.

9. Clean or replace any dirty or damaged flooring. The most sought after and valuable flooring is timber or laminate. It wears well and is easy to clean. If you’ve got carpet, plain, subdued colours don’t offend the eye.

10. Clear off bathroom vanity tops. Get the make-up, hair brushes and hairdryers put away to allow the buyer a bit of escapism from the throng of daily life.  As a potential buyer, I feel really uncomfortable seeing this stuff in someone’s home. So I don’t hang around.

11. Kids (and some grown-ups) love running their hands over the walls when they go around corners. Address that with a damp cloth and maybe even a coat of paint in the really bad spots. If the kids have drawn on the walls, even if it’s in their bedrooms, fix it up with a new paint job. Steer clear of very bright or very dark paint colours even in the kids rooms if you can.

12. If you’ve got the room, eat in kitchens are very desirable. Even a breakfast bar helps. Just don’t overdo it on the bar stools. If you’ve got the kitchen table and a breakfast bar in the same room, go with one or the other. Not both. It’ll be to tight a squeeze.

13. Make sure all your lights are in perfect working order and that each room has enough task and subtle mood lighting, so each person can do their own thing.

14. Make room for a study or study nook. Lots of people work from home these days and school age kids need a place to do homework.

15. In those rooms where privacy isn’t a concern, allow as much natural light to filter in. Keep your window coverings open. If you’ve got a great garden view (one that’s good to watch over kids at play), consider taking them down.

16. Set up an outdoor entertaining area. A bbq, sitting area and if you can manage it, some kind of shade helps give an ‘outdoor room’ kind of feel.

17. If you’ve got a swimming pool, play on it. At the very least it should be sparkling clean even if it’s not swim season. Pools don’t always add value to property. But if there’s ever a time and place for it to be a positive feature it’s when you want to sell a family home.

18. Have your pets go visiting…someone else for a while. Not everyone’s a dog, cat, rabbit or ferret lover. Some people are allergic to cat hair, or the kids are really nervous around dogs. That means they aren’t likely to want to hang around to complete the full property tour.

19. Tidy up your garage. Garages are prized (and often neglected) in family homes, because they offer a ton more storage space.

20. As proud of your car as you may well be, keeping your driveway clear during inspections or open house. No-one finds that ‘car yard’ look appealing. Keeping it clear makes for far better kerb appeal and increases your yard frontage.

Home Staging Fees – 5 Cost Myths…Busted

From what I’ve been reading and hearing of late about home staging (mostly called Property Styling here on the Australian real estate scene), it seems there are still some ‘old wives tales’ swirling about regarding how much staging your home for the market really costs.

Chances are you’ve heard many of these phrases (or something similar) yourself. Perhaps you’ve even used them with some of your own clients.

For instance, a phrase that really gets up my nose is this one: “In our local market, it’s the price that sells, so staging isn’t worth the money.” 

And that’s just one. Let’s now take a closer look at it, and a four other myths, surrounding the cost of home staging, that I think are worth busting.

1. “Home staging/property styling is just too expensive for an average home owner like me.”

The truth is that most of the people who use a home staging/property styling service are actually average home owners, with average size and priced homes. Canadian based home stager Debra Gould, from Six Elements says that home staging is perfect for the home owner who wouldn’t normally hire an interior designer. This is absolutely true; both in terms of cost and the decorating results you can expect. While hiring a professional stager usually does require paying a fee upfront for a basic, in home consultation, that fee can be as low as $150 – $250 depending on where you live. The reason? Because professional stagers/stylists make it a priority to help you keep your presentation costs down, so you’re able to preserve your equity.

2. “Staging just means having to pay for a house full of rental furniture or buying all new stuff.”

It really doesn’t. A home stager is happy to help you in using the furnishings you already own. It’s the perfect way to save money on getting your house effectively ready for an upcoming marketing campaign. Most home owners have what’s needed to stage their homes, so hiring in extra pieces isn’t needed. If you find yourself needing to replace some missing pieces, renting is one way of doing it, but if your budget won’t stretch that far, consider borrowing from family or friends, or even buying a few second hand items. On the other hand, if you’d rather buy new, do that, but only if you can make use of those pieces in your new place. But if your ‘for sale’ property is totally vacant, then hiring furniture to make it feel more inviting for your buyers, is way more cost effective than buying what you need new. It is totally possible to hire furniture in for as little as one month. 

3. ”I’ve been told that when it comes to selling property – price is all the buyers really care about, so spending any money on staging is useless.”

You’ll remember that I mentioned this little gem in my introduction. Basing your home’s selling strategy on price alone seems risky to me. It’s next to impossible to separate what you’re paying for, from what you’ll be getting for the money. Look, I’ve bought property before and I’ve inspected a few homes priced below market value in the hopes of using the price, to snag a sale. The tactic still didn’t work. I can tell you, that price wasn’t the most appealing factor at all. So what was? Three words; value for money. All I could see, was reason to shield my wallet from all the shortcomings this property obviuosly had. In the end, I walked away, despite the price. I think Gary Keller, author of the book ‘Shift: How Top Real Estate Agents Tackle Tough Times.‘ nails it with these words;

“Whenever we say price is the number one issue in getting a home sold, what we’re really saying is that its price must match its condition. Price and condition are irrevocably intertwined. Priced right means priced right for what you get and overpriced means overpriced for what you get….Staging a home means showing off what you get in that home in the best possible way, so the seller gets the best possible price.”

4. “It’s best just to get the cheapest consultant I can find.”

Ever bought something -anything, based on price? It almost always comes back to bite you, sooner rather than later. Like anything else home stagers are the same. If you’ve asked for a quote from a local home stager because their work really impressed you, that says an awful lot right there. Ok, so the fee may not be the cheapest on the block. But think of it this way; you were impressed by what you saw. And that’s exactly the same effect you want for your buyers when they come through. Yes, there’s a cost involved, but there’s also (an obvious) value for money here.

5. “Why not just stage it myself and save money?”

Of course you can do it this way. But then, just consider for a moment if this is the best use of your time. Because chances are, it’s going to take you longer. As the home owner you will find it harder to look at your home with a truly unbiased eye. The kind of eye home buyers use. As home owners I think we’re all guilty of not seeing things around the house now, that once bugged the living daylights out of us. Naturally, home buyers don’t miss these things. That said, calling in a stager to give you a proper starting point and some direction, can only be money well spent.

Any thoughts? Do you have any questions about the cost of staging that I haven’t covered?

Are You Making Any of These 20 Decorating Goofs in Your ‘For Sale’ Property?

As a professional property stylist (or home stager), I get to see a lot of rooms. You see, it’s my job to help home owners from all different backgrounds, (and with different sorts of properties), to get their homes ready for the ‘for sale’ market.

Whilst I do help lots of different people, in different places, I find I’m often helping my home owner friends get a handle on some surprisingly common decorating goofs.

Now, let me just say to you up front, that many of the things on the list I’m about to share with you, aren’t really a big deal for you – when you’re NOT SELLING YOUR HOME. That’s because, when you’re not selling, your house is about your wants and needs.

But, when you are selling, that same property isn’t about you anymore. It’s really about your buyer’s wants and needs. Now that it’s time to sell, these decorating goofs can damage your chances of a better sale without you even realising. Some of them can cost you big bucks if you’re not careful.

With the help of my list of top 20 decorating goofs, you’ll be able to see where you might be going wrong. Once you know what to look for; you’ll be able to make a few changes that will ultimately help you put your (home’s) best foot forward, for a great impression.

1. Poor use of your space. This is all about not defining a room’s purpose and I simply have to say that’s one of my golden rules. Bedrooms should be shown as bedrooms, dining rooms as dining rooms. This is really what buyers want to see. Not your bedroom as a home gym or your dining room as an office or play room for the kids.

2. A look that’s too personal. By too personal I mean a few things, including a room being too formal (AKA uncomfortable), too colourful (AKA a burden to change) or too themed (AKA hard to see past and still a burden to change like in our top picture).

3. A room with too many of your ‘little things’. “It’s the little things.” How sweet. But no – really, you can have too much of a good thing my friends. Pack up most of your nick-knacks, including porcelain roosters or frogs, dolls, stuffed animals and the like. After all they don’t come with the house, do they? Put them away for safe keeping now. In the end it will save you time, and buyers will see more ‘house’ and less ‘you’.

4. Over furnishing a room. My next 4 goofs are closely related, but still separate. Check out the photo of the girls room on this page. Here’s a girl’s bedroom with so much furniture the door can’t be closed – at all. Not only does it make the room feel smaller, but it can even make a buyer wonder if the furniture is in fact holding the door up.

5. Having furniture that is too big for the room. This is the problem with those furniture showrooms; the furniture seems much smaller compared to the room and the other things around it. But when you get it home, it sucks up your space quicker than a vacuum cleaner. Do you think you could live with just one of the 3 seater sofas in the short term to help you open the room up?

6. Poor furniture placement. In my experience this is most common in bedrooms and living rooms. You might even be familiar with furniture layout I like to call the ‘washing machine effect’ see below right for an example. You know when the furniture is lined up against the walls like the spin cycle in your washing machine? It’s far better to bring sofas, coffee and side tables in closer together as they make for much better conversational groupings. If you have a large room like the one at bottom right, don’t spread your sofa and coffee tables out, it looks weird. Instead, consider adding another function to the room like perhaps a dining table or another sitting area. Aim to use the furnishings you already have for this one.

7. Poor traffic flow Grouping your furniture too close together so you can’t get past without bumping into furniture, or having to walk through the middle of a seating area in a passage way are also big goofs. This may not be a problem for you, but what about the agent who needs to bring several people through at once? Very often the agent and his/her buyers will need to move around the same room all at the same time. Take that into account before buyer groups’ start coming through for a look and plan ahead.

8. Competing with your home’s architectural style or location. I can’t stress this enough. If you are selling an igloo, then a seaside decorating theme is unlikely to help you sell your house. Same goes for new builds full of antique furnishings. You’ll only be limiting your buyer pool in a very big way. That’s because buyers in the market for an igloo will expect to see an igloo interior. Keep it simple by being sympathetic to your home’s style and location.

9. Blocking a great view of the outdoors. If you have a great view, show it off. I’ve seen homes by the ocean where overgrown trees and shrubs almost completely blocked the view from the yard or balcony. Buyers had no real idea what was there. You also want to make sure that house hunters can see your place from the kerb.

10. Having your kid’s gear invade almost every room. It’s an easy trap for us parents to fall into. But the reality is it just screams plain old untidy, with an obvious lack of storage. When you’re selling, just keep a few of the kids’ favourite things on hand, have a container that can be easily filled and then stored, without a lot of fuss, in no time at all. Have you got any decorating goofs you’d like to share?

Donna Ross

Great Impressions Real Estate Staging

Sydney and Newcastle

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Architectural Details That Count In The ‘For Sale’ Property.

As a professional home stager/property stylist (and a property investor), I’ve seen a lot of homes. All have both positives and negatives. But a lucky few have something I think is really special. Something truly valuable and often unique.

So, if you’ve got any of these glorious built-in features in your home, get to work on showing them off in all their spectacular glory!

Here are my 6 all-time favourite architectural features.

Fireplace: Be it modern or tradtional, nothing says ‘warm and cozy’ better than a fireplace. Make the most of your fireplace by keeping it maintained (even out of season) and well presented. If it needs a little TLC to make it more of a positive, get right on it.

 

Stairs: Either modern or traditional, they are a feature you can’t ignore. As you can see, they don’t have to be just a way of getting to the 1st floor. If you’re selling, use them to beckon the buyer to see more.

 

Crown Mouldings: A decorative finish that adds a special touch of class to any room. Highlight crown mouldings with a gloss finish paint, as shown here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Windows: Flooding the room with natural light and inviting you to absorb the view. Don’t underestimate their value. Make the most of them when you’re selling by keeping them clean and uncovered, unless privacy is an issue.

 

Period Home: A period home exudes a charm that modern houses can’t keep up with. They have an appeal and finish all their own. Mind you, decorating touches should be ‘complementary’ of the property’s features not ‘faithful’. By that I mean we like the ‘look’ of the turn of the century home, but in a practical sense, few buyers want to live like they did back then. So even in the period home, some upgrades will be expected. 

 

 

Built-in Cabinetry: And not just because it looks good, but also because it’s super practical and therefore valuable. Like I always say; you can’t have too much storage.

These are all time favourites features – what are yours?

Donna Ross

Great Impressions Real Estate Staging & Consulting

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Warning: Use These 5 Sure-fire Decluttering Tips At Your Own Risk

If you find yourself with a home that’s currently on the market, or you’re just about to take the plunge and face the property market head on, then it’s quite possible that you’ve at least considered have a good clean out and cutting down on some of your ‘stuff’.

Oh, you won’t hear any argument from me; tips on decluttering your home are a dime a dozen. Usually the information is fairly standard. Cleaning, deciding where to start, what to keep, what to throw out, give away, what to put it in and then where to put. You get the picture – don’t you? If not here’s an article on that side of things you might like.

That’s ok. Stick with them; I dare say you’ll need them sooner or later. I’m hoping to get you to think about this process from a different angle than you’re perhaps used to. We aren’t going to be talking about the nuts and bolts (trust me, you’ll need a container for those), so much here, but the in’s and out’s. We’ll be talking quite a bit about the relationship you have with your clutter.  

I won’t promise you that it’s going to be pretty; I will promise you that it’s going to be completely necessary. Ready?

First things first.

1. Define your clutter (aka clutter physiology)

Clutter means different things to different people. To a real estate buyer, the term generally refers to the years of accumulated ‘odds and ends’ that home owners tend to have around them. You can bet that these things are of little use to anyone but the owners themselves. For example; clothing that doesn’t fit, collectables of any kind (yes, of any kind), books, magazines, toys, videos, DVD’s, craft ‘bits’, old birthday cards, presents you have no use for, 100′s of photos, old baby clothes, old shoes, tools and so the list goes on and on. Yet, far too many sellers insist on hanging on to this stuff at sale time. The end result is house hunters feel claustrophobic and stressed.

2. What’s with the clutter? (aka clutter psychology #1)

Ever wondered why you’re hanging on to the things you hang on to? For most people there’s some kind of emotional connection. Guilt, perhaps some whimsy. The very thought of throwing something away causes you anxiety as you imagine part of yourself being lost with that ‘special’ piece. For those things that are very special to you, consider starting up a scrapbook, journal or keepsake box. For things like cards an letters you can paste those straignt into your scrapbook and make a few notes about that time. For things like a favourite sweater, or baby outfit, grab your camera and take a photo, then add your photo to your scrapbook. Again, write a few lines to help you and others to remember that time. For those things you’ve collected because you think you’ll have a use for down the track, ask yourself how long you’ve had it. If it’s more than 2 -3 months it’s time to get rid of it.

3. When to Declutter? (aka clutter psychology #2)

We’re talking about the ‘P’ word – procrastination. Putting off today what should be done tomorrow. Only tomorrow never comes. It’s all because you feel overwhelmed. This is where planning comes into it. Break it down into smaller chunks (see our next tip), and then get some help from family or a friend.

4. What are your immediate needs and what would a buyer expect to see in this space? 

Think about the rooms you have and your immediate needs while your house is on the market, and what buyers want to see’. Let’s take the kitchen as an example. You’ll of course need food on hand, and some food preparation and cooking equipment, along with some serving ware. Buyers of an occupied home expect to see these things in a kitchen, and they like to know how they fit into the space.  This leaves things like out of date food, 15 different pots and serving dishes, 4 dinner sets, umpteen drinking glasses, personal papers and anything else rarely uses to be packed away until you move, thrown away or donated. Take this similar ‘what are my immediate needs & what do buyers want to see’ approach to the other rooms in your house.

5. The time factor – tear through like a hurricane or flow like a gentle breeze?

If you intend to sell, then you may have to prepare yourself for the most frenzied de-cluttering weekend you’ve ever had. It can feel a bit like a hurricane in that sense; really intense, but thankfully short.  Just remember your plan and get all the help you can possibly muster. If you’re the procrastinating type, then the ‘gentle breeze’ approach may be the best and least painful way to go. Go room by room or even drawer by drawer if it helps. Take your camera with you as you go and try to make the most of it. And put a time limit on the process. Reward yourself at the end, with some scrapbook time.

Have you got any de-cluttering tips or experiences you’d like to share?

Donna Ross

Great Impressions Real Estate Staging & Consulting

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8 Myths of Staging to Sell – Busted

Home staging (or property styling as it’s commonly known as on the Australian property scene) is really an art, not a science. One of the many things a professional home stager understands is that it’s the house that’s up for sale, not the home owner’s bread baking ability or taste in music. So, from the sublime to the rediculous – here’s 8 myths of staging to sell – busted!

1. Buyers can see past my stuff
No – they can’t, so get over it. The reality is that 95% of house hunters shop with a ‘what you see is what you get’ eye. You’ll be maximising your chances of a better and quicker sale if you take the time to clean out, clean up and keep your look simple.

2. Baking bread, brewing fresh coffee and playing soft music will make a buyer fall in love with my house.
Maybe once upon a time this was true – but most would-be buyers are onto that old trick. It’s more likely to trigger alarm bells, with many wondering what it is you’re trying to hide. Your buyers will be happy with a place that looks and smells clean.

3. I’ll need to clear everything out to help buyers see themselves living here.
This is only partly true. Wall to wall family photos are distracting, as is your porcelain rooster collection. These things are best put away. But don’t go overboard, otherwise you’ll end up with a look that feels cold and sterile.

4. If it’s an original feature – it adds value.
Sometimes yes – but often no. Generally a property built less than 50 years ago without being updated is more likely to appear dated, rather than classic.

5. My place isn’t worth staging.
All homes are worth taking the time to present in a positive light to buyers. The trick to knowing where to start and what to do is in having a good idea of what buyers in your target market will expect, along with learning more about what competing properties in your area are offering. 

 
6. Empty rooms look bigger.

This is rarely the case. Buyers will always prefer to see how a room is used and what will fit in it, rather than be left to guess. Very large rooms can also be too intimidating for some. Even borrowed furniture can help buyers get an idea of scale and give the eye something of interest to focus on.

7. Converting a bedroom into a home gym won’t be a problem.
Bedrooms are one of the most valuable commodities of the ‘for sale’ property. Having a home gym set up in a bedroom will prompt buyers to wonder why that is. I remember once looking at a house where this was the case. When I came across the bedroom with the gym in it, I immediately began to question if a bed would even fit. Always give the rooms in your house a purpose.

8. No need to worry about wardrobes and cupboards.
Home storage is a big deal to most buyers and is surprisingly valuable. Prospective buyers will open storage cupboards in kitchens and bathrooms, so keep them tidy. Keep only what you’re using on a daily or weekly basis, and pack the rest away ready for the move.

Have you got a staging myth you’d like busted? Share them with me here.

Donna Ross

Great Impressions Real Estate Staging & Consulting

For home owners between Sydney & Newcastle

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Do You Make Any Of These 5 Real Estate Photo Blunders?

Statistics show that as many as 80% of house hunters now start their search for a new home on the internet.

The bottom line is, that taking the right marketing photos in order to maximise buyer interest and invite them to want to see more of your online listings, is an essential element of any real estate marketing plan.

The good news? You don’t have to be a professional photographer to take a good marketing photo that will get the right kind of buyer attention.

Check your marketing photos now, to make sure that you (or someone you know) haven’t fallen victim to any of these 5 marketing photo blunders.

Never forget, that a picture tells (buyers) a thousand words!

 

 

1. Too much to look at: In the photo at left there’s just too much to look at. As a house hunter you wouldn’t know where to start. Although the photo isn’t entirely to blame (poor staging is also an issue), this photo demands the eye dart around the room. Accessorise your photos a little – yes; clutter them up – no.

 

 2. People and pets in photos: These are 2 things that should NEVER be seen in any marketing photo. Same goes for pet paraphernalia e.g. dog bowls, litter boxes, dog kennels. I once saw a marketing photo with food in a frying pan as it was being cooked on the stove. Too much information.

 

 

3. Photos of a bed, bath or sink or tables: Buyers want to see the overall space, not just one part of the room. The  photo of the pool table at right would be perfect if it were being listed for sale on ebay - with a free protective cover. In fact, I think that’s what I’ll call photos of this ilk; ‘the ebay effect’. One exception to this rule: some architectural features are worth getting as a close up. Just don’t get so close that no-one can make out exactly what they are looking at.

  

  

4. Unflattering camera angles: Everyone has their ‘good’ side and the same is true of the ‘for sale’ property. I’d strongly suggest to you that if the camera angle, or maybe even the room itself, doesn’t send out a positive message to prospective buyers, ditch the photo altogether. Experiment with a couple of different angles and select the best 9most flattering) one. The magic of the digital camera is the ‘delete’ button. 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Out of focus, poorly lit images, or ‘hot spots’: You know those photos where you can see the flash of the camera in a mirror or window? That’s called a hot spot. The trick is not to directly face the reflective surface, if that fails you, turn your flash off.

 

 

 

 

Want some more help with taking the right marketing or portfolio shots? I highly recommend ‘How to Photograph Interiors When You Barely Know How to Work a Camera’ by Barbara Lane. It’s the perfect resource for anyone who needs or wants to take the best possible interior photographs, but isn’t a professional photographer. Ms Lane is a professional photographer who’s willing and able to hold your hand through the whole process and gives home stagers a few new ideas on how to use them.

Donna Ross

Great Impressions Real Estate Staging & Consulting

For home owners between Sydney & Newcastle

Add Style

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Sell Better

 

 

20 Lessons from a Professional Home Stager – Part 2

No matter where you are in the world, getting a property ready for the ‘for sale market’ market has evolved. Thanks in no small part to the internet; house hunters are now savvier than ever. It’s the internet that allows home buyers to see a whole lot more of their local property market. Gone are the days of would-be buyers traipsing from one property to another, using just a few agencies/agents to assist them.

Today, the real estate pool is much, much larger. It’s far easier for house hunters these days to separate ‘for sale’ property’s into the definitely not’s or the maybe’s and the listing agents, before leaving home. The on flow effect of this is that the more ‘comparison shopping’ a buyer does – the higher the real estate bar rises.

A professional home stager/property stylist has the skills and experience to know where that ‘bar’ will sit for a property like yours. And they’re willing and able to help you keep up with your competition. In this post I’ll add to our list 8 more lessons you can learn from a home stager.

If you missed lessons 1 – 12 from part 1 just click here, to catch up on what you need to know.

13. Learn how to maximise your outdoor spaces: Lots of patios, porches and decks have bucket loads of potential just waiting to be realised. In the ‘for sale’ market, gardens and swimming pools can either work for you, or against you. Home stagers know how to tilt the pendulum in your favour with simple – often, no cost decorating fixes. Hint: garden gnomes and vintage farm equipment are NOT the answer.

14. Find out how simple it is to get some Law and Order with easy and practical storage ideas: A key part of getting ready to sell is paring down your stuff. It helps buyers see more of the house itself, and even creates space you may have forgotten you had. Home stagers know where to draw the line on decluttering and robbing the house of character and warmth.

15. Find out how to create a ‘spa like’ bathroom: A good, saleable bathroom needs to be sparkling clean at the very least. The most valued bathrooms feel spacious and have a day spa mood to them. Don’t worry, it’s not about renovating, it’s possible to bump up buyer appeal with a few simple changes that won’t cost the earth.

16. Learn the secrets to good looking and practical kitchens: Kitchens sell houses. If you’ve got a kitchen that’s hasn’t had an update in say…8-10 yrs, doing a few cosmetic updates can boost your equity in the short term. As a stager I know at least 5 quick, low cost ways to update an older kitchen ‘for a for’ sale property.

17. Always wanted a serene master bedroom? Selling is still a good time to create one. Master bedrooms are climbing up the ladder in terms of important rooms in the ‘for sale’ property. This is where the person/s that pays the mortgage will retreat to at the end of each day, so it pays to give it the care and attention it deserves. The space doesn’t have to be large, but it does have to be deserving of the status of ‘master’ bedroom.

18. Got a multi-function room? Lounge/dining, guest room/home office, laundry/storage area. Lots of us have. I’m sitting in one now. But they often end up looking cluttered, over furnished and seem as though they can’t do anything well. A good home stager will help you pull together a space that you can still work with, but still shows your buyers good value for money.

19. Stagers can help you get any rental furniture: In fact most stagers will organise the whole thing for you. With a pre-set budget, I know exactly what pieces to get to help me achieve the right look, and where to source them from. A good stager can also choose the right decorative accessories and art that will finesse the room.

20. Need to find a good real estate agent? Many stagers can point you in the direction of perhaps a few, pro-active real estate agents in your area that you might like to talk to. It’s not uncommon for agents and stagers to work together to achieve the best result.

An added benefit to having your home professionally staged is that you get to enjoy the changes before you go!

Now you have an idea of what a stager does, tell me what you think.

Donna Ross

Great Impressions Real Estate Staging & Consulting

Add Style

Add Space

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